


The White Envelope

by loves_books



Category: The A-Team (2010), The A-Team - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-13
Updated: 2016-02-13
Packaged: 2018-05-20 06:34:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5995066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loves_books/pseuds/loves_books
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hannibal had no idea how the envelope had found its way into the bottom of his pack. Even though he'd been carrying his bag with him since they’d left the FOB early that morning, over a twelve hour hike from their drop-off point no less, it wasn’t as crushed as he might perhaps have expected. He’d checked and double-checked his pack, then checked it again, and it most certainly hadn’t been there before they’d left.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The White Envelope

**Author's Note:**

> Written in about an hour for a prompt from the wonderful Delorita:
> 
> Valentine's day in the field. And one of them wishes the other a HappVDay and it comes totally unexpected. As in not knowing the other is gay etc :D
> 
> Thanks again Del!

“What the hell?” Hannibal finally managed to extract the unknown object from the bottom of his pack, and to his surprise he found it was a small white envelope, his name written on it neatly and carefully in capital letters. “What’s this?”

“Ooh, what’ve you got, bossman?” Murdock came bounding over, practically pushing BA into the newly-lit campfire in his enthusiasm, and snatched the envelope away to peer at it himself. “You got a secret admirer or something?”

Hannibal shrugged, curious as to how on earth the envelope had found its way into his bag in the first place. “No idea,” he admitted gruffly, holding out one hand flat and waiting patiently for it to be returned to him, clearing his throat after a moment when his hint failed to register. “Captain? If I might?”

Sheepishly, Murdock handed it back, then dropped down right by Hannibal’s side in the sand with his nose barely a few inches from the envelope. “Are you going to open it, then? Go on, you have to open it now! Go on go on go on!”

Even though Hannibal had been carrying his bag with him since they’d left the FOB early that morning, over a twelve hour hike from their drop-off point no less, the envelope wasn’t as crushed as he might perhaps have expected. He’d checked and double-checked his pack, then checked it again, and it most certainly hadn’t been there before they’d left. Could it be a trick of some kind? Poison or explosives, or something similar?

He ran it carefully through his fingers, feeling the creases and contours to look for any imperfections – it was smooth, and light, and free of any suspicious lumps or bumps. It felt like it contained little more than paper or perhaps card.

Glancing across the fire, Hannibal saw BA watching him curiously with his head tilted to one side, while Murdock was practically vibrating, visibly biting his lip in an attempt to keep quiet. Shaking his head, Hannibal gave in to his own growing curiosity and carefully slit the envelope open using his pocket knife, holding it away from his face just in case something unpleasant erupted from the inside. 

When nothing happened, which was almost an anti-climax, Hannibal slid out the object contained within: a greetings card, of all things. More specifically, he realised abruptly, a Valentine’s Day card. He’d forgotten it was February fourteenth.

In the light of the fire, Hannibal took in the bold red heart on the front of the card. It was a far classier design than some he’d seen in his time, he had to admit – just a single heart on a tasteful grey background, no pink in sight, though he felt his stomach turn over in a mixture of dread and anticipation at what might be written inside.

Hannibal only realised how long he must have been just sitting and staring at it when BA’s voice jolted him from his thoughts. “Well? What is it, boss?”

“It’s a Valentine’s Day card,” Hannibal told his two men, earning him a loud squeal of excitement from Murdock and a silent nod and raised eyebrows from BA. Opening the card carefully, still keeping it at arm’s length, he tilted it into the light and read out loud, “Roses are red, violets are blue, I like you Hannibal, do you like me too?”

Another squeal from their pilot, high-pitched enough to make Hannibal wince slightly, and BA actually laughed out loud. “I like it,” the corporal told him firmly, standing up and gathering himself ready to head out on patrol. “Simple and to the point.”

“Any name? Or a clue?” Murdock asked, craning his head to try to read it for himself. Hannibal found himself obligingly tilting the card in the pilot’s direction. “Hmm, that’d be far too obvious, I suppose. You recognise the writing at all?”

Hannibal shook his head, his brain whirring with possibilities. The verse was written all in capital letters again, just like the envelope had been, and effort had clearly been made to make those letters as plain and generic as possible “No, not even remotely.”

“And you’ve got no idea who would send you a Valentine’s card?” BA asked with another laugh. “No hot nurses tried to get your number lately? For that matter, who would’ve had the chance to hide it in your pack in the first place?”

Murdock giggled, and Hannibal’s eyes snapped back to the pilot, frowning slightly. “Something you want to confess, Captain?”

“Me, sir? No, sir. Not guilty, sir.” Another giggle. “You’ve got a secret admirer! It’s so sweet!” 

“What’s so sweet?” Face’s voice arrived in the circle of firelight just a few moments before the man himself appeared, back from patrol and no doubt more than ready for a break. “What did I miss?”

BA fist-bumped the lieutenant in both welcome and farewell. “Hannibal’s found himself a Valentine’s card,” he told Face as he headed out to take his turn checking their perimeter, his smirk obvious in his voice, and Hannibal wordlessly handed over the card to his XO.

Face took a moment to read it, smile growing by the second and bright blue eyes shining in the firelight. “That is kind of sweet, Hannibal,” he said as he handed it back, dropping down with a grateful sigh to take BA’s place by the fire and reaching for his own pack. “Not the most creative poetry ever written but it’s the thought that counts. You’ve really got no idea who sent it?”

“Murdock, are you sure it wasn’t you?” Hannibal asked the pilot again, but Murdock shook his head hard enough to send himself toppling over into the sand. “Well, there were only so many people who could’ve had the opportunity to slip it into my bag, joke or not.”

“Maybe it was BA,” Face mused thoughtfully, not quite meeting Hannibal’s gaze as he started to heat up an MRE. “Or young Private Winters. The driver who took us to the drop point.”

Possible, but unlikely. It would have taken some serious sleight of hand to get the envelope tucked away like that, right down in the depths of his pack – Hannibal frowned again as a thought occurred to him, then smiled as his heart started to beat a little faster. “Face?”

“Yeah, boss?” But his XO still didn’t look up, poking at his meal determinedly and keeping his head down, caramel curls seeming lighter than usual in the flickering light from the flames.

Could it be? Hannibal had fallen for Face years ago, not long after he first took the younger man into his unit, lusting after his handsome and toned body, and yearning for his generous heart and brilliant mind. But, while Face had quickly become both his closest friend and his most trusted colleague, Hannibal had never been aware that Face might feel anything more for him. 

He’d hoped, though. He’d always hoped.

Sadly, this was hardly the time or the place to ask.

“Never mind.” As Murdock rolled away from the fire towards their two tents, still giggling away to himself, Hannibal leaned forwards and told Face quietly, “I hope whoever did send me this might be brave enough to ask me in person some time. They might find they like the answer they get.”

Face’s head snapped up at that, his features carefully blank but hope blossoming beautifully in those baby blue eyes. “Really?” he whispered, smiling widely when Hannibal nodded. “Well, perhaps they will be brave enough. Once we’re back off mission, of course.”

Hannibal couldn’t help but smile back as he slid the card carefully back into its little white envelope, determined to keep it safe until they were home. “Of course.” 

The projected week-long mission was going to feel like a year, Hannibal could already tell.


End file.
